India orders takedown of sites spreading fake court orders, police open probe

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has issued directives to internet service providers to block or remove websites that were publishing forged court orders, according to a Reuters investigation.

The counterfeit orders, presented as issued by various Indian courts, were being circulated online and used to defraud individuals and businesses. Authorities warned that such content could mislead the public and undermine confidence in the judiciary.

In response, police across several jurisdictions have opened a criminal probe to trace the creators and distributors of the fake documents, focusing on violations of the Information Technology Act and related statutes.

Officials have not disclosed the exact number of sites taken down or the timeline for the operation, but emphasized that swift action is essential to protect the integrity of legal processes.

The move follows a series of cyber‑crime alerts issued by the government in recent months, highlighting growing concerns over digital misinformation.